England's June Heatwave Pushed Ambulance Services to Record Demand

England's ambulance services experienced some of their busiest days on record during a heatwave at the end of June, when temperatures climbed past 37°C in parts of the country and authorities declared only the second-ever "red" extreme heat warning, according to data obtained by Carbon Brief through freedom-of-information requests.

Four of England's 10 NHS ambulance services, including London's, responded to unprecedented numbers of life-threatening emergencies on at least one day between June 23 and 27, while two more services, in the south-west and east of the country, recorded their highest-ever volume of 999 calls. Researchers calculated that there were nearly 3,000 heat-related deaths across the UK this summer.

On June 26, the busiest day of the heatwave, ambulances across England responded to 4,084 life-threatening emergencies, compared with an average daily volume of around 2,500 during summer months. For many services, the data show ambulances were busier during the heatwave than at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"During periods of hot weather, we typically see an increase in calls from people affected by dehydration, heat exhaustion and heatstroke, as well as those whose existing health conditions, particularly heart and respiratory illnesses, can be made worse by prolonged high temperatures," said Stu Holliday, head of emergency preparedness, resilience and response at North East Ambulance Service. "Older people, young children and pregnant people can be especially vulnerable."

The UNISON union said ambulance crews faced "stifling heat with faulty or no air conditioning" and "back-to-back callouts" during the heatwave.